


Photograph - Ed Sheeran Song Fic

by DreamingStoriesInOurSleep



Category: Ed Sheeran (Musician)
Genre: F/M, Post-War, Song Lyrics, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-27
Updated: 2017-09-27
Packaged: 2019-01-06 03:41:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12203181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamingStoriesInOurSleep/pseuds/DreamingStoriesInOurSleep
Summary: When William first met Grace he was half conscious and losing a lot of blood from a gunshot to the chest.Over the course of his treatment William and Grace fall in love, but will it last the toils of war?A song fic based off of Ed Sheeran's Photograph.





	Photograph - Ed Sheeran Song Fic

_**Loving can hurt** _

William Moseley sat in the swinging lounge that hangs on the front porch of his small cottage, still wearing the black tuxedo and war medals that he adorned that morning to attend his late wife’s funeral.

_**Loving can hurt sometimes** _

William still remembered being carried into the medical tent, a bullet lodged in his chest, blood seeping into his shirt and eventually into the shirt of his friend carrying him in. His eyes were clenched shut from the white hot pain searing itself through his veins and eventually he passed out.

_**But it’s the only thing that I know** _

William woke up to a pale yellow light seeping through the small plastic window in the medical tent and a young nurse peering down at his chest as she re-dressed his wound.

“Ah, you’re awake.” A lithe British accent graced his ears.

She was beautiful.

William soon learnt that her name was Grace, but he insisted that she be called Miss Wilson, so it stuck.

For days on end Grace and William would talk about the war and about life back at home. William learnt that Grace was a studying nurse in Melbourne, living with her best friend who was also studying in the same field.

William told Grace that he was studying to become an engineer to which Grace laughed quietly at.

“What?” William asked, laughing along with Grace. “Miss Wilson, are you making fun of me?”

Grace looked down at William and said “Of course not Mr. Moseley!”

Then she would quickly check his bandages before excusing herself to go and tend to the other patients.

This friendship grew stronger and stronger every day, just as William was growing stronger and stronger too, until one day, the conversations just stopped.

_**When it gets hard** _

Grace was brought in a patient that had stepped on a landmine, separating his leg from the rest of his body.

The man was delusional as he had lost a lot of blood and was in and out of consciousness due to the severe pain he was in.

Grace firmly instructed that the two men carrying him in should lay him on the closest stretcher bed whilst she goes to get some bandages and a hot iron from the camp fire. She also insisted that the men stay as she attempts to cauterize the wound.

Grace ties strips of sheeting just above the knee where the leg has been blown off before giving the patient two strips of bedding in his mouth to bite down on and just before she removes the iron from the fire, she quickly douses the wound with alcohol to prevent infection. The man groans loudly in pain before screaming in pure agony as the glowing iron is placed against the bloody flesh, sealing it shut quickly. After the third press of the iron the man has passed out, but not before being sick all over himself.

_**You know it can get hard sometimes** _

Grace did everything she could to help that poor man, but no matter how many times she changed his bandages, cleaned his wounds with pure alcohol and fed him, nothing could stop the man from passing away two days later.

Grace wasn’t ever the same after that.

She didn’t talk to William, she just checked his bandages, changed them if need be and moved on.

No matter if William sparked up a conversation, she just nodded her head, smiled out of the corner of her mouth and said “Yes William. Will that be all for today?” Until one day William said no.

“Please talk to me. What’s going on inside that beautiful head of yours?” William asked, reaching out to take her hand in his. It was then that Grace broke down into tears.

William gently sat up, wincing slightly at the still sensitive wound.

Grace sat on the other side of him and rested her head on his shoulder.

“I had my first ever death the other day, and I did everything right, everything to the book and he still died. I have his blood on my hands and I can’t change that.” She sobbed, her tears leaving dark watermarks on his bandages and bed sheets.

“Unfortunately, you can’t save everyone.” William said, tilting her chin up so that they were looking into each other’s eyes.

_**It is the only thing that makes us feel alive** _

“You saved me though, and I will forever be in your debt.” William said so quietly that Grace thought that she misheard him, but when his lips touched hers in a sweet kiss, she knew that she was home, and that no matter what came her way, she was safe.

She felt home in this warzone.

_**We keep this love in a photograph** _

William let out a sigh as he pulled out the picture of Grace and himself at the returning soldier’s ball.

_**We made these memories for ourselves** _

She was dressed in the most beautiful pale blue collared dress which had short sleeves and a small bow that sat just above her belly button in the same shade of blue, and when she spun around the dress flared up into a neat circle.

He remembered as her crisp white heels clicked against the hardwood floor as she was spun and dipped in the midst of other couples dancing to the slow melody.

_**Where our eyes are never closing** _

When William finally slowed down the spinning and dancing and pulled Grace in closer to him, they couldn’t break eye contact.

_**Hearts were never broken** _

They kissed right there in the middle of the dance floor without a care in the world to who was watching.

_**And time’s forever frozen still** _

Grace pulled away from the kiss and looked deep into William’s eyes. There was no one else around them at that point in time, it was just the two of them spinning in a slow circle, dancing to their own song in their heads.

It was as if time had just stopped allowing them to cherish this moment shared between two young people in love.

_**So you can keep me** _

William remembered Grace’s face when she saw the photographer in the corner of the room taking photos for a dollar.

She practically glowed as she pulled him over and presented the kind man with a clean and shiny one dollar coin out of her purse which matched her dress.

_**Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans** _

Her smile made the world smile.

She was the prettiest woman there and she was William’s.

William remembers a bright flash of white light and then a squeal. Grace runs over to the man to look at the photo and waits for it to develop almost bouncing on the balls of her feet with excitement and impatience.

Once the photo has developed the man hands the small slip of paper over to Grace who squeals her appreciation and runs back to William to show him the result.

William kisses her on the cheek sliding the photo into his Navy Jacket Breast Pocket and thanks the man with another gold coin before returning to the dance floor.

_**Holding me closer till our eyes meet** _

William and Grace rock back and forth slowly, her head resting on his shoulder and her hands wrapped around his back.

She closes her eyes and slips into a peaceful mindset where everything is perfect and no one can touch them from here, no one can take them away from each other.

“Grace…Grace…” She hears from a distance. She looks up to see William looking down at her and as their eyes meet she sees all the love in the world concentrated in the eyes of this one man.

_**You won’t ever be alone** _

As William sat on the porch remembering that night at the ball he let tears escape and roll down his cheeks remembering the words whispered to him when Grace fell sick.

She took him by the hand and as clearly as she could without hurting too much she said “William, no matter if I die now, tomorrow or in years to come. You won’t ever be alone.”

“Yes love. You will live a thousand years yet! Let me show you how.” William beckoned, tears slipping down his cheeks and dripping onto his shirt.

Grace smiled and nodded.

“You can’t always tell me what to do Mr. Moseley.” She said laughing before starting to cough again.

William rushed to sit her up and give her small sips of the cool water from the plastic cup sitting beside her.

_**Wait for me to come home** _

Grace treated William’s wounds so well that he was actually allowed back in the field much to the protest of Grace.

A week later Grace was sent home.

She had served her time in the war and she was ready to leave, unfortunately it meant that she wouldn’t be here with William.

As she packed up her things she heard commotion outside of the tent.

“Hey wait! You can’t go in there! That’s the Nurse’s Private Quarters!”

“That’s my girl in there! Grace!” It was William.

Grace dropped her things and ran out seeing the General standing over William who now has a blood nose and a gash over the bridge of his nose.

“General, he’s fine. I’ll take Mr. Moseley here and fix his nose up, shouldn’t take me too long sir.”

The general nodded sharply then turned on his heel and walked away post haste.

“William.” Grace said in a sigh when they were in the safety of the tent and they could embrace each other.

“You’re leaving?” William said, fear in his wide eyes searching Grace’s eyes for any sign of lies. Instead all he saw was a solemn nod and tears beginning to well up in the corners of her eyes.

“Wait for me?” Grace was confused.

“What?”

“Wait for me to come home?” William said, holding her tight.

She nodded against his chest and leaned up on tippy toes to kiss him.

“Don’t think you can always tell me what to do Mr. Moseley!” and at this they both laughed.

_**Loving can heal** _

When William got home he found Grace waiting for him at his home.

He kissed her and picked her up and spun around.

They broke the kiss giggling and William unlocked the front door and took Grace inside never letting her out of his arms.

That night when they fell asleep William finally felt whole but it didn’t stop him from screaming.

The war changed him, he couldn’t stand loud noises or shouting or even busy streets.

_**Loving can mend your soul** _

Grace held him, held him so tight she was afraid that he might break, but he said it calmed him and it did.

He fell asleep, but Grace was terrified.

How was she going to help him heal?

_**And it’s the only thing that I know, know** _

After five consecutive nights of waking to William’s screams Grace finally realised that the only way to help him is to love him.

**_I swear that it will get easier_ **

Soon enough the screams turned into whimpers which then turned into shaking which then dissipated into nothing.

It took months and months of sleepless nights but they finally beat William’s inner demons.

It reared its head a couple of times and Grace was so worried that it had started over again, but then the next night William was sound asleep the entire night.

_**Remember that with every piece of you** _

William slipped the old creased photo back into the breast pocket of his shirt and reached over to get his walking stick before hoisting himself up onto his feet to walk in from the front porch as it was starting to get dark.

_**Hmm, and it’s the only thing that we take with us when we die** _

“Grace Hope Wilson was a selfless woman who served our country with dignity and pride. Miss Wilson loved her life and lived it to the full, eventually finding love in a man who was hurt during battle. Mr. Moseley, do you wish to come up and say a few words?” The priest addressed him and William nodded slowly, raising himself up with the aid of the hardwood pew and slowly made his way towards the lovely smooth pale wooden coffin in which the love of his life lay asleep forever.

The Priest aided him up the few steps to the podium and then took his seat next to the altar.

William took a small moment to try and collect himself while he straightened his jacket and looked over towards her beautiful face smiling back at him from the photo placed on top of her casket.

“Grace Wilson saved my life on a day that I knew would be my last.”

His eyes scanned the small room holding Grace’s friend, Maryon, a few war buddies and his beautiful daughter Margaret who was holding her son James in her arms. Maryon was blotting her eyes and sniffling quietly slightly trembling grasping Margaret’s hand for support.

“She would stay by my side to ensure I had eaten and then fell asleep before moving on to the other men. I remember one day when a man came in when Grace and I were talking and she had to attend to him. I saw in her eyes fear and a reluctance. I never did know whether she was scared to see what ailed the man or whether she was afraid to leave me.” William smiled, still feeling the warmth of her love surrounding him.

“There came a day when Grace was sent home. Her time in the war was over and she had to leave, leave me behind back on the battlefield. I remember looking into her eyes and telling her to wait for me to come home. I remember the exact day when I thought I would have to break my one and only promise to her. I was shot in the back. The nurses called me a miracle, said that someone up there loved me and was looking out for me. I should have been dead, and yet I survived. I later found out that the bullet missed my heart by 2 millimetres and went straight through my chest missing my second rib by about the same distance.” At this people gasped.

“It was true what they were saying, I must have had someone looking after me. Someone telling me to get home to my girl, to Grace. I was healed up and sent home on the next boat. Grace never knew that I was sent home from injury however, just thought that my division was sent home. It was days later that I finally got home and saw my Grace.

She must have spoken to Maryon and had been told I was coming home because I turned the corner onto my street to see a young woman sitting on my front step biting her nails.

I couldn’t run, not with a hole in my chest, but I didn’t care, I didn’t think. I ran so fast to her, forgetting my bags on the sidewalk and kissed her.

I remember the first thing she said to me was “What on God’s Green Earth took you so long?”.” There were quite a couple of laughs from that and William’s lips curled into a smile.

“Months later I remember taking Grace out to dancing and then a small walk down by the river. I remember the lights of the bridge and the city shining in her eyes as she pointed at the fireworks that flew into the sky and crackled out in bright hues of pinks, purples and greens. I proposed then and there asking her to be mine for the rest of our lives. Her response? “I am already yours William.” On our wedding night she because Mrs. Grace Hope Moseley, but to me she would always be Miss. Grace Wilson, the young nurse that saved me.

Two years later we found out that we were going to have a beautiful baby girl and in honour of her Mother and our best friend we chose to name her Margaret Maryon Moseley.”

At this the two women smiled watery sad smiles at each other and Margaret rested her head on Maryon’s shoulder which shook just that little bit more.

“The day that Grace fell ill was the same day that we all found out that Edward, Margaret’s husband, had been killed in action on the battlefield. We were mourning his loss when Grace collapsed in the kitchen making a pot of tea. We heard the shattering of China before the thump of a body against the limnonym floor then we heard the screams of James when he was frightened by the loud noises. I will forever remember that sound of sheer silence between the thud and the scream. It’s the same silence that haunts me at night when I go to sleep. No longer am I plagued by the sounds of war. Grace was rushed to hospital and told that she had a blood clot on the brain and that they could try to remove it but it’s only ever been done once before. Grace, ever hopeful, said to go ahead with the surgery. I on the other hand was scared to death, but I wanted her to live, I just wanted her back into my life, so I agreed and they began to prepare her.

Have you ever seen a patient being prepped for brain surgery? They change dramatically, their hair is removed and then they are moved to a room where they are drugged and put under.

Fortunately her surgery went alright, they removed the clot and she was back to being her bright and happy self until one day she fell ill and couldn’t get out of bed.

The doctor told us that the stitches were infected and it was so far gone the most we could do was to say our goodbyes. I didn’t sleep that night. I cried and cried. I cried so much that I had nothing left in me.

Grace Hope Wilson passed away peacefully in her sleep the next morning in my arms.” William had to stop to wipe his cheeks and eyes.

"Margaret Maryon Moseley, as you grow more and more beautiful each and every day you take your mother’s grace, wisdom and love with you no matter where you go. You will always have your Mother and Edward looking over you and your beautiful son.

And Grace, if you can hear me where you are, if you are looking over me, I love you, I will always love you.” William kissed his finger tips and raised them towards the sky.

_**Hm, we keep this love in a photograph** _

“Wait for me to come home.” He whispered as he placed his hand on the casket and then carefully placed the photo of them embracing at the returning soldier’s ball resting in the photo frame of her smiling in her war nurse uniform.

_**We made these memories for ourselves** _

William was the first to follow the coffin out of the church and into the graveyard, the others following behind solemnly.

He never let his hand leave the coffin, he never wanted to leave her side even in death.

The priest was wrong, death would not part them or their love.

_**Where our eyes are never closing** _

William couldn’t watch the coffin slowly descending into the Earth, he couldn’t bare to think that he wasn’t beside her anymore and yet when he turned away he felt a warm presence next to him, taking his hand and leading him to the tombstone in which was carved “Grace Hope Moseley, Wife, Mother, Grandmother and Healer to all those in need.”

Then at the very bottom a small quote that will live with William forever. “Wait for me to come home.” William was shocked, he didn’t ask for that, but when he looked over to his daughter she nodded and smiled at him.

William broke down at this gesture of kindness.

Now everyone will know who she is and what she means to William and Margaret.

_**Hearts were never broken** _

“Dad? Are you ready to go?” Margaret asked William, placing a gentle hand on his arm as he stared at the tombstone in front of him surrounded by bright flowers.

“No-not yet Margaret, just let me have five more minutes with your Mother?” Margaret nodded and kissed him on the cheek before making her way back to Maryon and James.

_**And time’s forever frozen still** _

“Grace. I can’t do this. I can’t be alone. I can’t be without you. I need you.” William sobbed, falling to his hands and knees.

_**So you can keep me** _

“Please don’t leave me!”

_**Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans** _

William felt a warm hand on his shoulder that lifted him up.

He felt finger tips caressing his cheek as his eyes slipped shut, finally the tears stopped and he felt loved.

He felt Grace.

_**Holding me closer till our eyes meet** _

He looked up to see her looking down at him, smiling that way she does when he says something silly, smiling like he is her world.

_**You won’t ever be alone** _

When the wind blew, he was certain that he could hear her, Grace was telling him that he was never alone.

_**And if you hurt me** _

William kissed his hand and laid it on the top right of the tombstone and walked back towards Margaret, Maryon and James.

“Let’s go home.”

_**Well that’s ok baby only words bleed** _

William was silent the entire way home, he just looked out the window at the countless rows of tombstones in the Soldier’s Graveyard.

Once they arrived home everyone was already there waiting to celebrate Grace’s life.

_**Inside these pages you just hold me** _

William couldn’t face them, couldn’t look into the eyes of people wishing him peace in this time of total anarchy and thank them for paying their respects to Grace.

“You go on ahead, I’m going to sit here a while and talk to Grace.” William said to Maryon who looked at him in shock and then proceeded into the house. Margaret just smiled and followed suit leaving William to sit on the swinging lounge.

He took out his copy of the photo that they had made up when Grace went to placement in the south for the winter.

_**And I won’t ever let you go** _

“You were always the better one, at everything.” William said, remembering the multiple times he nearly stepped on her feet that night at the ball, or when they would run around after Margaret in this very same front yard in the summer. William never fully recovered from the bullet wound. He could never run very far afterwards.

“I was not.” William heard, turning his head to see Grace sitting beside him laughing.

“Don’t you remember when I tried to catch Margaret who was running with the water hose and I couldn’t get her until she wet all the washing on the line. You could always catch her quicker.” William said, Grace laughing at the memory.

“You were always better at bath time. She said I was too boring!” Grace said, mock offence laced thickly in her voice.

“You’re not really here are you?” William said after he realised that he just lowered her into the Earth to rest peacefully.

“No.” Grace responded, but when she placed her hand on William’s he still felt her soft skin and warm, loving touch.

_**Wait for me to come home** _

It was like a mantra now.

**_Wait for me to come home_ **

Constantly circling in his head.

_**Wait for me to come home** _

Would she wait for him?

_**Wait for me to come home** _

How could she wait for him when he wasn’t ready to go yet?

_**Oh, you can fit me** _

When William went inside he found Margaret and hugged her tightly to him, her silver locket cool against his neck.

_**Inside the necklace you got when you were sixteen** _

William and Grace saved up all they could to get a locket with their photos in it for Margaret’s 16th birthday and on the back an engraving read “Forever in your heart. Love Mum and Dad.”

_**Next to your heartbeat where I should be** _

Ever since that day, the necklace has never left her.

_**Keep it deep within your soul** _

“I am going to change out of my uniform, are you ok?” William asked, beginning to undo his Navy Jacket. Margaret nodded and took her Father’s badges off the jacket and put them back next to her Mothers in the display case.

William noted that she must have put her Mother’s badges that she was wearing in the cabinet as soon as she got in the door.

_**And if you hurt me** _

William ascended the stairs and turned right to go to his bedroom.

Once he was there he sat on the bed and took a moment to catch his breath.

He changed into something more comfortable and walked down the stairs and into the living room where everyone was making light chatter between themselves before they all saw him and the room grew silent.

_**Well that’s ok baby only words bleed** _

“Thank you for all coming and helping me to celebrate the life of Grace. I know you all knew her for different reasons, be it a friend, a patient from the war or just a neighbour I know that she all touched our hearts and that she will never be gone. She will live through all of us and our children and their children too.” William said looking down at the sleeping form of James in Margaret’s arms.

_**Inside these pages you just hold me** _

As the night grew on, people started to leave, hugging each other, shaking hands and kisses on the cheek were the sentimental farewells.

William was truly grateful that he had such a support group as this and he could tell that Grace felt the same way.

_**And I won’t ever let you go** _

Two years later, William’s body started to give out.

First his eyesight, then his legs.

His lungs struggled to take in enough oxygen and most of the time William needed the machine to breathe for him.

_**When I’m away** _

William called Margaret into the room and told her that he was ready.

He was going to see Grace again.

He told James that his Grandmother was the loveliest woman that the world had ever known.

“She loved you with all her heart, and when people asked if she still had room for others in her life to love, she said that love can never be measured, just felt. I want you to know that I am not leaving you because I no longer love you, I am leaving because it’s now my turn to love you and look over you for the rest of your life and when it is your turn, you will return to us and we can look over those we love.” William said, grasping Margaret’s hand and stroking James’ cheek which now had tear tracks soiling the perfect porcelain skin.

“James, give me a moment with Papa ok?” Margaret asked, with tears in her eyes.

James nodded, hugged William and whispered something in his ear before he made his way downstairs to play with his trucks.

“Dad. I don’t know if I’m ready to let you go.” William smiled at Margaret and opened his arms to allow her to lay down with him.

_**I will remember how you kissed me** _

 “I want to tell you a story…” William started, waiting for Margaret to nod in response.

_**Under the lamppost back on sixth street** _

“You already know the story of Mum and I and how we met and fell in love, but when Mum went away to do work placement she was gone for a couple of months and I felt lost without her. That winter was so bad even the telegramming system was down and letters were scarce. The only thing of your Mother’s that I had was our photo from the Returning Soldier’s Ball. This was the one thing that kept me going when she wasn’t here.” William pulls out the photo from his pocket, still keeping it with him through everything, the photo was very faded now and creased and slightly torn at the edges, but you could still make out Grace’s vibrant smile and William’s love for her in his eyes.

“I need you to have it now. This is what will keep you going. This is my way of showing you that I will always be with you, and in many years from now when James’ children find this photo in a book on his bedside table and ask him who those people are, James can tell them the story of Grace Hope Wilson and William George Moseley.

This is how we will stay with you. Forever. Tell him our story Margaret.” William pushed the photo into Margaret’s hands and held her tight.

Margaret sobbed and when she looked up, William’s eyes were closed and he was finally at peace.

_**Hearing you whisper through the phone** _

Margaret got up and wiped her face before going downstairs to talk to James.

“James, come here please?” She said, sitting on the couch before pulling him onto her lap.

“Papa has passed away.” James cried into her neck, heartbroken that his friend and Papa has gone to a better place.

“Honey?” Margaret gets James’ attention.

“What did you whisper to Papa before you left?”

_**“Wait for me to come home”** _

Margaret was shocked, she had never told him their story.

How could he know what they had said to each other so many years ago?

“Wait for me to come home.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading this fun little project of mine.
> 
> I was driving home from a road trip with my best friend and this came on the radio and i just saw this story laid out before me and iknew i had to write it.
> 
> This was my first ever song fic but hopefuly it won't be my last.
> 
> Feel free to request another song fic or regular fic.
> 
> Thank you so much my Pandas. Love you all! xx


End file.
